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Pro Football Hall of Fame: Eddie DeBartolo and Tim Brown reach final round

By Cam Inman and Jerry McDonald

Bay Area News Group

Posted:
01/11/2013 07:30:32 PM PST

Updated:
01/11/2013 09:48:11 PM PST

SANTA CLARA -- Eddie DeBartolo and former Raiders receiver Tim Brown are among the 15 modern-day finalists on the ballot for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, it was announced Friday.

Other modern-day finalists with Bay Area ties are outside linebackers Charles Haley and Kevin Greene and offensive lineman Larry Allen, all of whom played for the 49ers, and former Raiders defensive lineman Warren Sapp.

The final vote will be taken in New Orleans on Feb. 2, the day before the Super Bowl. The Hall in Canton, Ohio, requires that at least four finalists be elected -- and as many as seven -- but no more than five can be from the modern-era nominees. There are two senior nominees: Curley Culp and Dave Robinson.

Rounding out the list of modern-era finalists, aside from the six with Bay Area ties, are running back Jerome Bettis, wide receivers Cris Carter and Andre Reed, offensive linemen Jonathan Ogden and Will Shields, defensive end Michael Strahan, defensive back Aeneas Williams, coach Bill Parcells and owner Art Modell.

Brown, who played 16 seasons for the Raiders, said in a phone interview he is attempting to "manage his emotions" after failing to be elected the first two times.

"When I woke up this morning and had a text that I was on the list again, I told my wife and she was like, 'whatever,' " Brown said. "I don't want to see her get disappointed. If it happens, we'll celebrate. That's the way you have to approach it, because who knows how long this could go on?"

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DeBartolo, 66, also was turned away last year. Under his ownership from 1977-2000, the 49ers became the first franchise to win five Super Bowls. They made the playoffs 16 times in those 24 years, reaching the NFC Championship game 10 times. His candidacy is clouded by the Louisiana corruption case that ended his reign with the 49ers.

Haley, a finalist for the third consecutive year, is the only man to have won five Super Bowl rings, the last three coming after his trade from the 49ers to the Dallas Cowboys. Greene and Allen, both of whom finished their careers with the 49ers, are first-time finalists. Allen was in his first year of Hall eligibility, as were Sapp, Strahan and Ogden.